[Elecraft] K3 & S9 43' Vertical

[Lee Buller]

There has been a lot written about the 43 foot antenna and the feeding of such 
an animal.  I want to re-iterate the point that radials are so important to any 
vertical antenna....unless it is a vertical dipole.  I am using a 33 foot 
vertical for just 40 meters and I have 32 radials and they are of various 
lengths, but more than half are about a quarter wave on 40 meters.

I started out with 4 radials.  It worked but not anything to write about in a 
letter to Grandma.

I added 12 more to 16 radials and the antenna got my attention.  It seem to work 
much better. I started working around the country.  I then went to 32 radials.  
Now, I am working worldwide with the lump of aluminum which cost me $14.00 at 
the local surplus house.  Direct feed to ground.  Very good match according to 
the MFJ thingamajig.  This little antenna can really radiate and does quite well 
on 40 meter DX

Reading the material from OU4UN...32 radials is about optimum and anymore 
doesn't get you much.  That has been confirmed by many hams who have done the 
empirical study.  Oh yes, and radials on the ground do not have to be "tuned" 
radials.  That's what the studies say.  BUT....if you have the vertical raised 
up off the ground...then the radials need to be tuned, but you can get away with 
fewer radials.

Radials are important....even to the old Gotham antennas of yesteryear.

Lee - K0WA



 In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply.  If you don't 
have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it.  If you can't find any 
Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense.  Is Common 
Sense divine?

Common Sense is the image of the Creator expressing revealed truth in my mind. 
-  John W. (Kansas)